WLOS-TV Raises $1.1 Million for Hurricane Recovery
Date Posted: 10/11/2021
WLOS-TV, the Sinclair-owned station in Asheville, N.C., went further than just covering Hurricane Fred, which ripped through Western North Carolina in August 2021, and has managed to raise more than $1 million to help the community.
The ABC affiliate has raised more than $1.1 million to help residents affected by the storm. WLOS promoted the fundraiser through its news coverage, via a public service announcement and using the hashtag #TogetherWNC. The money raised goes directly to victims of the flooding, which has caused tens of millions of dollars in damages throughout the region.
“While our team here at WLOS is proud to have played a vital role in raising awareness and money for our neighbors in Haywood County... it is because of the generosity of the community here in Western North Carolina we are able to answer the call to help our friends and neighbors in need,” said Courtney Youngblood, the station’s vice president and general manager. “#TogetherWNC shows us we are stronger together, and together we can truly make a difference.”
Media General’s NBC affiliate WAVY-TV Hampton Roads, Va. is encouraging drivers to “
At the end of the 2006 school year, the viewing area of WJLA-TV in Arlington, Va., had lost more than three dozen teens to motor vehicle crashes. The station, local law enforcement and Northern Virginia chapter of Mother’s Against Drunk Driving banded together to design a program about driving safety that could reach young audiences in a individual and lasting way. Now in its third year, "Drive to Stay Alive" has been presented to more than 25,000 young drivers at school assemblies. The 45-minute presentation is hosted by station anchor Leon Harris and medical reporter Kathy Fowler, herself a survivor of a deadly teen crash. Among its many components are a video report produced by the station chronicling teen driving behavior, a presentation by a local police officer about the 40 percent of teen crashes involving alcohol or drugs, Fowler’s personal story of survival, a segment by WJLA reporter Horace Holmes who accompanied the Montgomery Alcohol Enforcement unit for a weekend as it pursued underage drinkers and a video memorializing local teens who lost their lives in crashes. A related one-hour primetime special aired on WJLA during prom season 2008 and was then distributed on DVD to high schools throughout the area. Currently, WJLA is in preliminary talks with the Maryland Highway Administration about plans to take the program statewide.
Nearly a third of Oregon eighth graders and half of 11th graders report drinking alcohol in the past 30 days. These alarming statistics spurred KPTV-TV in Beaverton, Ore., into action to reverse the trend. Working with the Oregon Partnership, a statewide nonprofit organization that works to promote the health of kids, the station launched a multi-platform community service campaign to prevent underage drinking. In addition to a series of news stories, the news team produced a half-hour special, "Underage Drinking: A Call to Action," which aired during National Alcohol Awareness Month in conjunction with town hall meetings. KPTV news anchor Wayne Garcia moderated the town hall meeting at Beaverton’s Sunset High School. The station also produced both broadcast and print public service announcements. The focus of all aspects of the campaign was on changing the future so alcohol use doesn’t claim the lives and health of more teens.
The community to which KOPR-FM in Butte, Mont., broadcasts was devastated when they lost 14-year-old Mariah McCarthy in a hit-and-run by an underage drunk driver. At his daughter’s funeral, Leo McCarthy challenged other teens not to drink. Touched by his words, the station asked permission to help take "Mariah’s Challenge" to the community at large. The effort, known by its logo of pink angel wings, has grown into a foundation headed by Mariah’s parents. A $500 educational scholarship is given to each teen who pledges and fulfills a promise not to drink underage. To date, 7,000 students have signed up for the challenge, and tens of thousands of dollars have been raised. The station, along with its three sister stations, KBOW-AM, KGLM-FM and KANA-AM, supports all "Mariah’s Challenge" events. Mariah’s family and friends have gone on the air to talk about their commitment to prevent similar tragedies. The station created "Butte Tough" public service announcements (PSAs) to support the challenge, which target both youth and adults by asking, "Are you tough enough to say no to underage drinking? Are you tough enough to say no to drinking and driving?" Mariah’s friends and family voice the announcements. "The soul-shattering, heart-shaking PSAs have kept ‘Mariah’s Challenge’ in people’s minds. I am at a loss for words for the guys at KOPR," said McCarthy. The "Butte Tough" campaign was awarded the Montana Broadcasters Association EB Award for best public service.